The present invention relates to a winch assembly that may be used to lift heavy equipment, and more specifically to a removable winch assembly that can be used for multiple installations of large televisions or like equipment.
In recent years, the use of electronic equipment has become widespread not only in the home but in the public environment. Such electronic equipment includes television sets or monitors, stereo equipment and loudspeakers. This use may be for business, such as advertising and information dissemination, for commercial purposes, such as in a retail store or exhibition hall, and for education, such as in a university lecture hall. For employment in these environments, the equipment, most often a television set or monitor, must be mounted to a ceiling in the desired location.
Inherent in every demand for a mounted equipment, especially televisions, is the consideration of feasibility of installation of that equipment. A common method of installing or mounting a television set would typically include the affixation of a mounting plate with an accompanying hanger pipe and attached upper frame yolk from the ceiling in the region of the desired location of the television. Next, a half frame yolk is affixed to the bottom of the television, secured typically by the use of clamps on the sides of the television cabinet. The television, with lower half yolk in place, is lifted up to the ceiling so that the lower yolk may be engaged with the upper yolk to complete installation.
The initial installation of the mounting plate to the ceiling and the affixation of the lower yolk to the television is quite simple and easy, however, the task of lifting the television up to the desired position on the ceiling is a much more difficult task. This is particularly true if the ceiling is very high as in a large exhibition hall or if the size of the television or piece of equipment is quite large. The ease of installation, particularly the lifting of the television into place has become a concern due to the ever increasing demand for the mounting of larger and larger televisions. Also, the demand for large numbers of television sets contributes to the need for easy installation and subsequent disassembly.
Further, the installation of a large equipment, such as large televisions (36" and larger, which can weigh in excess of 200 pounds), has required the use of many people on a ladder to lift the television into place and then install it. For example, four to five men are often needed to lift a 36" television for mounting on a ceiling. Alternatively, a scaffolding system, or a mobile scissor jack, is commonly used to lift the television up into place for installation.
These prior art methods either require the use of many people or heavy scaffolding equipment. Such a requirement is tremendously burdensome to the user of the equipment. This is particularly true considering the cost and availability of a scissor jack, or the like, and the considerable time and work power consumed by the use of many workers for the installation of television equipment. In addition, access from the floor to the ceiling can be impaired by the placement of chairs, exhibits, and the like under where the mounting may occur. Accordingly, there is a demand for a television or electronic equipment mounting system that does not require the use of many individuals to lift the television into place or the use of a scaffolding system. The present invention overcomes the foregoing disadvantages and problems encountered in previous television mounting systems.